Are we connected?

I must admit, I was never a believer of being constantly connected with the virtual world until about two years back. For me sharing something about my life was more out of choice and not that much about compulsion (I have made it a compulsion in my head now) But when you launch a business, the first thing you are asked is to ‘be seen’. I often find it difficult to make sense of all the ‘being seen’ activities that my contacts/friends/acquaintances/forced connections/myself undertake.

 I think it will interesting to pen down a few of my observations of all the conversations I have actively or passively been a part of online.

*Please note- These are just my honest opinions and I am definitely not intending to hurt anyone with my thoughts....there is no right or wrong when it comes to opinions right!

So here it is-

1)- What is one trying to achieve by posting pictures of their holiday destinations and asking you the question “if you would like to be here and if you on the right path to achieve this holiday?” Then there are these questions like- “Are you working long hours? Are you working on weekends? Are you taking a holiday etc”.

My humble thoughts- I find it strange that you need to do a sales pitch while you are on your holiday. Yes people work weekends and on holidays (I sometimes do) but it is not wrong to do so! We are all wired differently. What works for you, may not work for me. Why put it in the wrong only because it doesn’t work for you?

2)- When did staring at your mobile phones while someone is presenting/talking become okay? When did #ing become the focus of attending events?

My humble thoughts- I remember my University days when it was considered bad manners to be distracted by someone next to you or by a book on your table. It was important to listen and respect the person presenting to you. Is it important to ‘virtually reach’ to thousands or to absorb and learn from what you listen?! I will be honest that there have been times when I have made ‘being seen’ my priority over ‘being present’

 3)- Exactly how many World's Best, Award-winning, No. 1, Best-sellers, World famous people are out there? Clearly I am missing out on something here!

My humble thoughts- I am definitely no expert in the English language but I can’t get my head around using words like Best, most talented, World’s best Coach/speaker/Husband/Wife! Seriously are there any parameters that are universally accepted for you to claim to be the ‘best’? I miss the days when there was a lot of thought given before claiming to be the 'Best at something' or to be 'World Famous'.

4)- I do not enjoy online browsing anymore simply because I see so many adverts where people are trying to sell me dreams. Dreams of owning a multi million business, dreams of converting everybody into my client, dreams about this £$ being yours in 60 minutes? To make it more lucrative, these millionaires will ‘help’ me accomplish these dreams that are not even mine to start with. 

My humble thoughts- I am not sure if this is even possible in real time. Even if it is by a slightest chance, why should I believe you? My parameters of believing you are- you have 100’s of followers/likes/shares/views and you most likely are an ‘Award winner’(Phew!) It is weird though that multi million business owners have that kind of time to ‘help’ all those who sign up to their newsletters? Is becoming rich that easy! (No I am not looking for an answer)

5)- When did it become okay to ask a really silly question/join a debate that you know nothing of just because you want to be seen! I often find a lot of professionals post experiences/questions/advice online not to share in the real sense but to be ‘in the conversation’

My humble thoughts- Would you consider yourself more of a professional, more famous, more recognized by posting a question that you anyway do not need the answer to. What are you expecting out of it?

The funny thing is when I read the comments in the post's feed of people replying to the question, that too is often backed by marketing their own talent/rich experience/International exposure and what not! Can a call for help and an answer to help be sans selling your services/products? (unless that is what is asked by the Author of the post)

Of course, there are a lot of interesting and valuable content/articles published online as well but sometimes I am simply amazed at what extent we can go to be seen. What purpose does this illusion of being connected serve?

 My question to you and myself is that-

What is the hurry?

Why do we need that acceptance of making it big? Who decides it anyway?

Do you really need to be 'World's best' at something to be successful?

Is it necessary to blow your own trumpet this aggressively and to project that you are living an extra ordinary life?

Do we need to let the world know everything we do everyday?

I am not saying that I practice everything I preach, I am imperfect and vulnerable to external influences just like anyone else. I can loose track of what is reasonable and what is not, but I guarantee I am not trying to make a sale at the back of this blog nor am I hoping to promote my business. I am only sharing.

It is not that time has become more precious, it is just that we have allowed people who mostly don’t matter to us to overcrowd our lives with dreams that are not ours, products that we don’t use or need, groups/communities that we do not have to follow and ambitions that don’t come from within.

A note to self- I think at the end of the day as long as you are exceptionally good at what you do and you are able to win the trust of your clients/prospective clients to sustain yourself, you will do just fine.

As long as you have a passion, a purpose, a pursuit that you think of every day of your life, you will do just fine.

As long as you are self aware, you will be just fine

As long as you have created a space of security in your life, you will do just fine.

As long as you have given back to society as much as you have taken, you will be just fine.

As long as you have family and friends to share your life with, you will be just fine.

As long as your pressures of rising higher are driven by internal factors and not external, you will do just fine.